Edible emulsions are used as a base for many types of food products. Mayonnaise compositions, for example, comprise edible oil-in-water emulsions that typically have between 80 to 85% by weight oil, and egg yolk, salt, vinegar and water. Mayonnaise compositions are enjoyed by many consumers, and particularly, on sandwiches, in dips, with fish and other food applications.
The oil present in the edible emulsions used in such food products is generally present as droplets dispersed in the water phase. In addition to droplet size and the amount of droplets dispersed, the close packing of the oil droplets results in the characteristic rheological behavior of the emulsions used to make the desired food product (e.g., mayonnaise).
Notwithstanding the fact that many consumers enjoy the taste of full fat products, there is an increasing demand for food products prepared from edible emulsions that have less fat and calories than conventional full fat food products.
It is known that attempts have been made to formulate reduced fat and calorie food products, like mayonnaise compositions, but the resulting food products typically do not have the texture and sensorial properties associated with full fat containing products. Such inferior texture and sensorial properties are invariably related to the reduced levels of oil in the edible emulsions used to make reduced fat products.
This invention, therefore, is directed to an edible emulsion comprising insoluble fibers. The edible emulsion comprising insoluble fibers can be used as a base to make a variety of food products, and unexpectedly, results in a food product that has the characteristics of a full fat product when less than the conventional amount of oil is employed. Furthermore, the food products made with the edible emulsion comprising insoluble fibers of this invention have, in addition to excellent texture and sensorial properties, the added health benefits associated with food products containing fiber. Such food products also have the benefit of being substantially free or completely free of carbohydrates; therefore, very desirable to high protein/low carbohydrate dieters.